Mechanical cut-out



(No Model.)

H. W.- BURNET. MECHANICAL OUT-OUT.

Patented Nov. 10,1891.

mwv oz H MBAW $51 4034 fitter/wen;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY IV. BURNET, OF EAST ORANGE, NElV JERSEY.

MECHANICAL CUT-OUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,836, dated November 10,1891. Application filed April 7, 1891- Serial No. 388,011. (No model.)

T0 at whom it 11mg concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY W. BURNET, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New J ersey,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switches, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to switches for use in rosettes, lamp-sockets, line connections, and like contrivances; and has for its purpose the production of a rosette and switch for use in rosettes, lamp-sockets, and like contrivances of simple and economical construction, whereby the size, the cost, and the weight of the whole device are reduced, and the reliability and simplicity of operation greatlyincreased. To these ends it consists of the various parts constructed, arranged, and combined substantially in the manner hereinafter described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an outside elevation of one form of rosette containing my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section through the same. Fig. is a plan of the lower removable part of the ro sette, showing the operation and details of my switch. Fig. 4c is an inverted plan View of the superior part of this form of rosette. Fig. 5 is a modified form of my switch whereby the passage of current through the conducting-springs of the switch is avoided. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of my switch as applied to a lamp-socket. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of two forms of the switch-contacts.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts.

The base 13 of my rosette, and by base it must be understood that I mean the superior or larger part of the rosette, although this part is uppermost when in position, is formed with binding-posts Z) for the main conductors C. To these binding-posts are fixed the projecting lips b, which, when the two parts of the rosette are placed together, pass under and bear directly upon the inclined surfaces of conducting-flanges (Z on the lower removable part of the rosette. This connection is shown in Fig. 2. The lower part of the rosette is indicated by the letter D. p

In Fig. 3 is shown the simplest form of my switch. The movable lever of the switch is shown at E, connecting through the spring a with one of the flanges d. The free end of the switch-lever E bears the coiled spring f, one end of which projects at right angles to the switch-lever E and carries one of the switch-contacts F. These details are also shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6. In case the switchlever is arranged, as in Fig. 3, to carry the current, the contact F may be formed by turning down the free end of the projecting wire. If the switch is to be a double-break switch, the wire end should project in two directions, and in this case I form the contact F by a small rod soldered at its center to the free end of the spring f. This modification is shown in Fig. 5.

The fixed contact or contacts II are formed of a peculiar shape, as shown in Figs. 3 and G. In the path of the moving contact is interposed the deflecting insulating face i, which terminates abruptly at i, where segment is cut away to form a second similarlyarranged facej, but this face j is of conducting material. This second face also terminates abruptly and gives place to the convex insulated rear surface 70, which serves to de fleet the path of the contact on its return movement. Iprefer to make this segmentshaped part of a sheet of insulating material provided with and secured to a metal back piece,which overlaps and projects beyond the insulating-plate on its facej or i, orboth, and elsewhere does not extend to the edge of the insulating-plate, as in Fig. 7. The plate may be secured to its metal back by rivets, as shown in Figs. 3 and (5, and maybe supported and secured in position in any suitable way, as by the metal standard L, shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5, and 6. The rear view, or View from the under side of the segment, when in position, is shown in Fig.7. In Fig. 8 is shown amodifled way of making this segment, in which a thicker segmental plate of insulating material is faced at j bya faceplate of conducting material. The conducting-facej of this fixed contact is connected by a fuse-wire m with one terminal of the lamp-conductors it. The other lamp-conductor is connected by fuse-wire m with the remaining conducting fiangeplate cl. Of course it should be understood that these connections may be varied as wished. To the switch-lever E is attached the operating device, which in my rosette is a cord 0 passing over a pulley P. When used with lamp-sockets, as shown in Fig. 6, I prefer to use a push-button R.

In Fig. 5 is shown the modification already referred to, in which the passage of the current through the springs of the switch is avoided. This is accomplished by making a duplicate segmentand contact H and placing it parallel with the first-named segment H. It may be supported in any desired manner, as by a standard similar to L, affixed to the superior part or base part B of my rosette. The contact F, which in this form, as already stated,is a cross-bar at the end ofthe springf, now makes contact with both conducting-segments and allows the current to pass directly from one segment to the other. Segment H, it will of course be understood, may be connected into the circuit in the same manner as the conducting-lever E was in the form shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of my switch is as follows: \Vhen it is desired to make contact'and close the circuit, the lever E is moved toward the segment. The contact or contacts on the free end of the springf will then be deflected by the successive faces M on one side of thesegment. When the contact has passed from the end of the face 2', it snaps by the-recoil of the spring f against the face j, which, as has already been shown, closes the circuit. If at this point the force actuating the lever E be removed, the recoil of the lever E due to the spring 6 will be prevented by the face 1," ofthe segment, against which the contact F will catch. \Vhen it is desired to break this circuit, the lever E is drawn farther toward the segment till the contact F snaps free from the extreme end of the facej of the segment, and sobreaks the connection. The rear face serves merely as a guide for the return of the contacts F and lever E to their normal released position.

In the following claims, to avoid unnecessaryprolixity, I use the term segment to designate the fixed contact and its insulating-guides, and the term is intended to be broad enough to cover any similar arrangement presenting successively to the moving contact an insulating-cam or guide-surface c', a conducting guide-surface or cam j, and an insulating-cam or guide-surface k for the returning movement of the contact without reference, unless expressly so limited, to' the manner of arranging the said surfaces. It must also. be understood that I do not limit the use of my switch to the combinations in which it is shown, excepting only in the claims in which its combinationi expressly so set forth and limited.

Having now fully and clearly described one form of my invention and how the samemay be formed, combined, arranged, and used, I claim as my own and desire to secure byLettens-Patent of the United States, with only the limitations hereinafter expressed or implied, the following:

1. In combination with the other operating parts of an electric switch, a switch-segment presenting successively in the path of the relatively-moving contact of the switch an insulating deflecting-face, a conducting defleeting-face and an insulating deflectingface, a spring on the free end of the switchlever or moving arm adapted to press the moving contact against the successive faces of the said segmenna retracting device for the actuating mechanism of the switch, and a surface or notch between the first and second of the said deflecting-faces on the said segment adapted to prevent a backward movement of the switch-contact from the second to the first of said faces, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the other operating parts of an electric switch, an operating arm E, provided with one or more springs, a movable contact or contacts attached to said arm, one or more segments, each arranged in the normal pathof the contact or contacts, and presenting successively to the forward movement of the contact an insulating deflectingface iand a conducting defiecting facej, and provided with an intermediate surface or notch 2" between said faces adapted to prevent backward motion of the contact or contacts from face j to face 2', and the said segment provided with an insulating deflectingfacej for the return motion of the contactor contacts, and means for operating the said arm E, and for making the electrical connections with the other parts of the circuit, substantially as set forth.

3. In combinationin a switch, a contact and a segment relatively movable, the said segment consisting of an insulating-plate provided with the deflecting faces or edges 1' and 7c, and a conducting-platej, secured to the said insulating-plate and projecting beyond a part of its periphery or edge and forming a deflecting-face thereat, the said conducting-plate forming named contact, substantially for the purposes set forth.- 7

t. A rosette consisting of a base B, provided with binding-posts for the circuit-wires, a second part I), carrying the lamp-circuit terminals or like conductors, and provided with inclined flange-plates d, of conducting material connected with the end of the lamp or like conductors, and'projecting conducting-lips I), connected with the binding-posts on the base B, and projecting when the two parts B and D are in position under the inclined flangeplates d, a switch included in the connections within the rosette, having in combination with the other operating parts an operatingarm E, a retracting device therefor, a spring f, carried by the arm E and bearing amovable contact or contacts F, a segment arranged in the normal path of the contact or' lIO the opposing contact for the first- I contacts F, and presenting successively to the movements of the contact or contacts aninsulating deflecting-face 2', a conducting deflecting-face j, and an oppositely-deflecting insulating-face y', and provided with an intermediate surface or notch 1 between the first and second named faces, and means for operating the said arm E, consisting of a cord 0 and a pulley P, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination in aswitch, acontact, and a switch-segment, one of such parts being movable and spring-guided in a path intercepting the other, the said segment being pro- 

